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Moto News Weekly Wrap
May 19, 2026

What’s New:

• Australian Senior Dirt Track Champs this weekend!
• Aussie line-up confirmed for 100th ISDE
• Aussie SON2 selection for Prague revealed
• Quad Lock Honda recaps successful AMA SX season
• Gajser and Lata headline Italian Prestige MX at Fermo
• Baylor tops Powerline Park GNCC
• Trial World Championship kicks off in Japan
• Aussie Enduro Wrap from Rounds 5 & 6 at QLD Moto Park
• Budds Creek Half-Mile (Throttlefest) Wrap
• 2026 Racing Calendars

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2026 Australian Senior Dirt Track Champs this weekend!

The 2026 Allcott Hire Australian Senior Dirt Track Championship ventures to Canberra on May 23-24, with a huge catalogue of stars to contest one of the premier events on the local off-road calendar.

Eight championship classes – six solo, one sidecar and one ATV – will be run and won at the ACT Motorcycle Club-promoted event in Majura, including the return of sliders – once a staple of local dirt track competition – for the first time in many years. One of the riders will be 51-year-old Rodney McDonald, who won the 500 cc slider title way back in 2002!

Once again, the Pro 450 and MX Open classes will be the most hotly contested in the Australian Senior Dirt Track Championship, with champions to be crowned after a series of heats, a last-chance repechage and final on the 600-metre granite-based track.

The 33-rider Pro 450 field is bursting with talent, and includes two recent champions in the shape of Ronan Jacobs (KTM, 2025) and Cody Lewis (Yamaha, 2023). Daniel Wicks (KTM) is also highly credentialled with a MX Open dirt track title in 2024 as well as being the reigning No. 2 in the Pro 450 class of the Aussie Flat Track Nationals.

The stacked field also includes Brandon Burns (GASGAS), young charger Cooper Archibald (Ducati), Lachlan Moody (Husqvarna), Thomas Gotts (KTM), Grant Charnock (Husqvarna), Brayden Bradford (GASGAS), Jett Carter (Stark), Lachlan Russell (KTM) and Brock Hutchins (KTM), so the pace will be red-hot from the outset where even the smallest mistakes will be costly.

Most of the Pro 450 field will also contest the MX Open class, with Russell backing after up after his third-place finish in the 2025 Australian Senior Dirt Track Championship in Brisbane.

The Pro 250 class is wide open, but reigning Australian junior track champion Gotts, Hutchins and Carter should all be prominent.

The three other solo classes are Pro Open Women, Slider Open and Slider 500 cc.

In the women, it’s experience versus youth with 20-year-old-plus riders like Claire Day, Emma Scott (Honda) and Zoe Davies (Honda) intersecting with speedy teens like Ruby James (Yamaha), Paige Owen (KTM) and Romee-Flewell Smith (KTM).

The same group of riders will compete across the Slider 500 and Slider Open classes, including McDonald as well as another dirt track stalwart in Matthew Davies – who will also be on double duties in the 1100 cc Sidecar class alongside Tom Northey where they will look to reclaim the championship they won in 2024.

In the ATV Open class, two riders have owned the space over the last decade – Honda duo Joshua Griffiths and Mathew Griffiths – and they’ll both return in 2026 to try and continue the golden run.

With huge fields in the support classes, the on-track action will be non-stop from 9:30am on both Saturday and Sunday. Spectators are welcome, with entry $10 per car. The track is located at 705 Pialigo Avenue, Majura.

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Aussie line-up confirmed for 100th ISDE

Motorcycling Australia has selected a potent mix of young talent and seasoned campaigners for its 2026 FIM International Six Days Enduro (ISDE) campaign to be held in Grandola, Portugal from October 12-17.

The 100-year anniversary of the longest-running off-road event on the FIM calendar will see three Australians make their ISDE debuts – Riley McGillivray, Kogan Lock and Madi Simpson – alongside Kyron Bacon, Josh Strang, Gus Riordan, Korey McMahon, Will Dennett, Jess Gardiner and Danielle McDonald.

The Australian management team for the 2026 ISDE is:

• Team manager: Trent Lean
• Assistant Managers: Glenn Kearney and Jeremy Carpentier
• Jury Representative: Rod Kearns
• ISDE Ambassador: Geoff Ballard

Team Australia’s quest for 2026 ISDE glory will again receive backing from online retailer, MXstore.

2026 MXStore Australian ISDE Team

• World Trophy
  • Kyron Bacon (Tas): Kawasaki
  • Josh Strang (NSW): Beta
  • Gus Riordan: (Vic): Honda
  • Korey McMahon (Qld): KTM
• Junior World Trophy
  • Will Dennett (NSW): Triumph
  • Riley McGillivray (Vic): Husqvarna
  • Kogan Lock (Vic): GASGAS
• Women’s World Trophy
  • Jess Gardiner (NSW): Yamaha
  • Danielle McDonald (NSW): Yamaha
  • Madi Simpson (Qld): Yamaha

McGillivray, Lock and Dennett will compete in the Junior World Trophy (JWT), and in the World Trophy (WT) Bacon, McMahon and Riordan will combine forces with MXstore Team Australia stalwart, Strang.

In the Women’s World Trophy (WWT), 18-year-old Simpson’s dynamic form in the Yamaha Australian Enduro Championship presented by MXstore (AusEnduro) has been rewarded with her first ISDE selection.

She will ride alongside towering figures in the shape of Australian Motorsport Hall of Famer, Gardiner, and the supremely talented McDonald who is taking the American enduro scene by storm in 2026.

Kogan Lock, 19, has followed a similar trajectory to Simpson, with both winning their respective junior classes in AusEnduro last year before graduating to the senior ranks in 2026 and making an instant impact – Simpson in the EW class and Lock in E2.

McGillivray is also a former junior star, and over the last three years he’s added the full suite – first, second and third – of top-flight championship results in E3 to his CV. After missing the early part of 2026 while recovering from injury, the 22-year-old is now back on track and beginning the build-up to his ISDE debut.

Dennett returns to the ISDE after making his first appearance in 2024, in what has already been a huge year for the 20-year-old as he embarks on his first season in the FIM EnduroGP World Championship.

Australia’s JWT team was third overall in 2025 behind Italy and France, while the WWT saw the Aussies finish second behind the United States of America.

Bacon is also back in EnduroGP mode in 2026, and his recent form has been outstanding – as it was at the 2025 ISDE when the talented Tasmanian finished sixth overall and claimed some huge scalps in the process.

Meanwhile, the American-based Strang and Riordan have been producing some excellent performances in the 2026 Grand National Cross Country Series – the same championship where McDonald leads the women’s battle – as the lightning fast McMahon looks to go back-to-back in the E3 class at the AusEnduro Championship.

Strang is a tireless campaigner. He just keeps on keeping on, and has a Team Australia WT victory at the 2018 ISDE as a nod to his durability.

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Aussie SON2 selection for Prague revealed

Motorcycling Australia has selected a potent three-rider team for the 2026 FIM Speedway of Nations – SON2 – to be held in Prague this Friday, May 22.

Team Australia’s quest to win the SON2 title for the first time will fall on the shoulders of Mitchell McDiarmid (WA), Tate Zischke (QLD) and reigning U21 Australian champion Beau Bailey (NSW).

2026 FIM Speedway of Nations – SON2
Starting Line-Ups (in draw order):

• GREAT BRITAIN
  • 1. Luke Harrison (Captain); 2. Luke Killeen; 3. Will Cairns
  • Team manager: Neil Vatcher
• CZECH REPUBLIC
  • 1. Adam Bubba Bednar (Captain); 2. Adam Nejezchleba; 3. Bruno Belan
  • Team manager: Zdenek Schneiderwind
• GERMANY
  • 1. Janek Konzack; 2. Mario Hausl (Captain); 3. Hannah Grunwald
  • Team managers: Mathias Bartz & Sascha Dorner
• DENMARK
  • 1. Villads Nagel (Captain); 2. Bastian Pedersen; 3. Mikkel Andersen
  • Team manager: Nicki Pedersen
• UKRAINE
  • 1. Roman Kapustin; 2. Nazar Parnitskyi (Captain); 3. Danko Hladkovskyi
  • Team manager: Sergii Golovnia
• POLAND
  • 1. Wiktor Przyjemski (Captain);2. Bartosz Banbor; 3. Kevin Malkiewicz
  • Team manager: Stanislaw Chomski
• SWEDEN
  • 1. Rasmus Karlsson; 2. Sammy Van Dyck; 3. Erik Persson (Captain)
  • Team manager: Linus Sundstrom
• AUSTRALIA
  • 1. Mitchell McDiarmid (Captain); 2. Tate Zischke; 3. Beau Bailey
  • Team manager: Mark Lemon

Mitchell McDiarmid, 18, will captain the team for the first time after an outstanding 2025 season where he finished 14th in the SGP2 (U21) individual world title as well collecting a bronze medal in the SON2 alongside 20-year-old Zischke.

In effect, it’s an unchanged starting line-up for Australia with McDiarmid and Tate Zischke, while wunderkind Beau Bailey can be called upon by team manager Mark Lemon at any time during the 28-heat program at the famed Marketa Stadium.

And the 16-year-old won’t be overawed by the occasion, either, after a third-place finish at the 2025 SGP3 world championship final at the same track. He then returned home for the Aussie summer and his stocks soared again after a stunning victory in the national U21 title.

Joining Australia at the 2026 SON2 will be the Czech Republic, Germany, Denmark, Poland, Sweden, Great Britain and – for the first time since 2011 – Ukraine. In 2025, Germany snapped Poland’s 11-year unbeaten run as the SON2 champion.

Australia has finished on the SON2 podium six times, including a third place in 2015 when Olympic Park Speedway in Mildura hosted the U21 showpiece. Two riders at that event – Jack Holder and Brady Kurtz – combined to win the 2025 Speedway of Nations for Australia in the senior ranks.

Following the SON2, the FIM Speedway World Cup (SWC) will be the second major speedway teams’ event in 2026, with Australia expected to loom large at the August 29 decider in Poland.

Team Australia’s 2026 SON2 and SWC campaigns are being backed by long-time sponsor CBS Bins, as well as A1 Accessory Imports/House of Powersports.

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Baylor tops Powerline Park GNCC

Round seven of the Powerline Park GNCC wrapped up on Sunday with an exciting day of motorcycle racing in Ohio. Racers were met with beautiful weather and ideal conditions as some of the nation’s top off-road racers battled across the rugged Powerline Park terrain.

Rocky Mountain Red Bear Kawasaki Team Green’s Steward Baylor Jr. earned his second victory of the 2026 GNCC Racing season after an impressive performance where he led the majority of the race at the front of the XC1 Open Pro field.

Despite controlling much of the event, Baylor continued to face intense pressure and heated battles from his competitors throughout the day, forcing him to stay aggressive and focused until the checkered flag.

Steward Baylor Jr.

“I got up front early, just tried to find my flow and noticed Craig [Delong] was going pretty fast, and I knew that he had some fast lines, so I followed those guys for a lap and I was able to pick apart some of the track where they were going fast and I kind of caught my groove again,” said Baylor. “I think they dropped 10 or 12 [seconds] on me but I was able to pick them back off pretty quick there on lap four and from there just smooth sailing, shifting up a gear and kind of riding – Craig was pretty easy to latch onto and showed me the fast lines today, so hats off to him, he rode great too.”

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Craig DeLong put together a determined ride to earn second overall after battling at the front of the field throughout the race. DeLong kept the pressure on Baylor from the opening laps and even captured the lead briefly during an intense battle before Baylor reclaimed the top spot.

Craig DeLong

“I made a big, well it felt like a big push to the front, and it just felt nice to be able to be up front and leading laps,” said Delong. “Stu had kind of pulled over and let me by, but either way it was nice to be up front and lead. Once I got to the lead though, I was like, man, I might have tried a little bit too hard and kind of blew myself up a little and had to take a breather, but it was a tough day. It got hot there at the end, and the track wasn’t rough, but it was technical and it just took a lot out of you. I was struggling there at the end, but I kind of gritted it out that last lap and just kind of brought her in. I was hurting, but it’s nice to get up on the box.”

The AmPro Yamaha teammates of Kailub Russell and Liam Draper put on an exciting battle throughout the race as both racers remained in contention near the front of the XC1 Open Pro field. Russell would ultimately earn the final spot on the overall podium with a third-place finish after trading positions and pushing the pace alongside Draper for much of the event.

Draper also delivered a strong performance as the teammates kept each other charging through the demanding conditions and showcased the strength of the AmPro Yamaha team at round seven.

Kailub Russell

“I knew after lap two, I was like, man, this is going to be a war of attrition, and I got such a bad start again, my bike didn’t fire and I had to fight my way through and just couldn’t get into position,” said Russell. “I would like to be up there with Stu, and those guys make my life a little bit easier because yeah, I was just having to expend a little too much energy to try and bridge that gap. It was brutal out there; it was deceivingly rough and really just beat your body. Your arms, my wrists and fingers are pretty shot right now. It was just brutal out there, but I’m happy to land back on the podium. All in all, it was a good day.”

Putting together a strong and consistent ride through the demanding conditions at round seven was Phoenix Racing Honda’s Angus Riordan as he came through to earn fifth overall on the day and take his second XC2 250 Pro class win of the season. Riordan would endure a rough stretch but returned to the top spot as he worked his way back into winning form, after having to receive a new set of goggles mid-race.

Liqui Moly Factory Beta Racing’s Josh Strang and Rocky Mountain Red Bear Kawasaki Team Green’s Grant Baylor would come through to finish sixth and seventh overall with strong rides at the Kenda Tires Powerline Park GNCC.

Strang pushed through the tough Ohio conditions to secure a sixth overall finish after battling consistently throughout the race, while Baylor continued to charge through the field to earn seventh overall against the stacked Pro competition.

Defending National Champion FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Ben Kelley returned to action at round seven and battled through to an eighth overall finish after suffering a crash at the previous round.

Race Craft Off-Road/Husqvarna’s Brody Johnson and Phoenix Racing Honda’s Jordan Ashburn rounded out the top 10 overall finishers at round seven with determined rides through the demanding Powerline Park course. Johnson not only secured a top 10 overall finish but also earned second place in the XC2 250 Pro class after battling near the front of the class throughout the day. Ashburn, who earned two back-to-back wins at round five and six, unfortunately did not have the day he hoped for as he started out in fifth but would ultimately fall back to tenth overall on the day.

FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Jason Tino battled through the challenging conditions in Ohio to earn a hard-fought third-place finish in the XC2 250 Pro class at round seven.

As the green flag waved for the WXC line, it was Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Korie Steede getting the jump off the line and earning the $100 Coppersmith Racing WXC holeshot award.

Steede would hold onto the lead for the first two laps of the race, while FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Brandy Richards applied the pressure and closed the gap. Richards would make the pass on Steede while out on the third lap of the race, and she would hold that position until the checkered flag flew, earning her fourth win of the season. Steede would push through to finish second in the WXC class.

Overall Event Results

1. Steward Baylor Jr (KAW)
2. Craig Delong (HQV)
3. Kailub Russell (YAM)
4. Liam Draper (YAM)
5. Angus Riordan (HON)
6. Josh Strang (BET)
7. Grant Baylor (KAW)
8. Ben Kelley (KTM)
9. Brody Johnson (HQV)
10. Jordan Ashburn (HON)

*Overall National Championship Standings

1. Jordan Ashburn (137)
2. Liam Draper (128)
3. Craig Delong (121)
4. Ben Kelley (112)
5. Steward Baylor Jr. (103)
6. Michael Witkowski (88)
7. Josh Strang (82)
8. Kailub Russell (75)
9. Jhak Walker (61)
10. Angus Riordan (59)

XC1 Open Pro Event Results

1. Steward Baylor Jr. (KAW)
2. Craig Delong (HQV)
3. Kailub Russell (YAM)
4. Liam Draper (YAM)
5. Josh Strang (BET)
6. Grant Baylor (KAW)
7. Ben Kelley (KTM)
8. Jordan Ashburn (HON)
9. Ryder Lafferty (HON)0
10. Josh Toth (KAW)

XC2 250 Pro Event Results

1. Angus Riordan (HON)
2. Brody Johnson (HQV)
3. Jason Tino (KTM)
4. Jason Lipscomb (HON)
5. Toby Cleveland (HQV)
6. Jhak Walker (BET)

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Trial World Championship kicks off in Japan

Spaniard Toni Bou (Montesa) began his bid to claim an incredible twentieth consecutive TrialGP title with a double victory and maximum points on day one of the opening round of the 2026 Hertz FIM Trial World Championship – the TrialGP of Japan – at Mobility Resort Motegi.

Defending TrialGP Women champion Berta Abellan (Scorpa) also emerged from day one with a perfect two wins from two races while in Trial2 Alex Canales (Montesa) – who is taking a step back from the TrialGP class this season – maintained the Spanish stranglehold on all three classes in action in Japan to move into an early series lead with super-consistent two-two finishes.

Bou then tightened his grip on the Championship when he continued his domination of the premier TrialGP class with another pair of victories on day two of the opening round. However in TrialGP Women, Abellan tasted defeat for the first time this season after a faultless performance in her opening race.

Toni Bou

“This weekend was important because it was in Japan, Honda’s home country, and we achieved the best possible result, so the overall assessment is very positive. The team did a spectacular job this weekend. At the beginning of the day, I felt nervous because everything was so close, but in the end, I was able to take all three top spots. I’m very happy and proud of the team, so in Andorra, we’ll look to continue in the same vein.”

In Trial2 the final positions were as unpredictable as day one with Britain’s George Hemingway (Beta) and Billy Green (Scorpa) sharing the wins, although inconsistent finishes from both riders over the two races ensured the overall was incredibly close with Green – champion in 2023 – just getting the verdict ahead of Italy’s Francesco Titli (Montesa).

Day One – TrialGP

A major revision of the event format for 2026 added even more excitement to the hotly-anticipated opening round and the changes helped to increase the flow of adrenaline, especially in the elite TrialGP class where new Super Pole, Final and Super Final elements heaped the pressure on the world’s best riders.

The action got under way on Friday afternoon with the new timed Super Test to determine race one starting order for TrialGP and TrialGP Women, with Bou emerging on top ahead of Jaime Busto (Beta) and Gabriel Marcelli (Montesa) as Britain’s Alice Minta (Beta) led home the world’s best female riders chased by Abellan and Andrea Sofia Rabino (Beta) from Italy.

With clear skies on Saturday and warm sun providing a welcome contrast to last season’s rain-lashed event, the sections – mostly laid out on steep, rock-studded bankings under trees – provided much more grip than they offered twelve months ago, allowing riders to showcase their skills to the large and appreciative audience.

The champion every year since 2007, 39-year-old Bou moved into an early lead in race one, despite picking up a five on the imposing rocks and slabs of section three that also claimed maximums from his compatriot Busto and Italy’s Matteo Grattarola (Beta) along with Marcelli.

Pulling clear of the chasing pack led by British class newcomer Harry Hemingway (Beta) at the halfway point, Bou extended his advantage and even two maximums late in the race could not prevent him from taking victory by four marks.

Busto, making his debut for the Italian manufacturer, also picked up the pace in the second half of the race to overhaul Grattarola and Hemingway for second with the veteran Italian – the only rider to escape without a maximum from section eleven – ending the race third, one mark behind Busto and two clear of the twenty-year-old British rider.

Never fully recovering from a run of three maximums in the opening three sections, Marcelli found his form in the second half of the race, but could only climb to fifth as he finished three marks adrift of Hemingway.

With race two for TrialGP getting under way with the Super Pole section run against the clock to determine starting order, the Final – to decide the five riders qualifying for the Super Final stage – was held over five sections and saw Busto on top from Grattarola and Bou with Hemingway eliminated along with his compatriot Jack Peace (Sherco).

Scores were then reset to zero and Bou, Busto and Marcelli shared the lead following the opening two sections with all three running clean-five before Marcelli slipped off the pace when he took a maximum on section three where his two rivals produced faultless performances.

Completing the race locked together on ten following the final two sections, Bou took the decision from Busto on a tie-break with Marcelli another five adrift in third ahead of Grattarola and Spain’s Miquel Gelabert (Honda) who made his own entry into the Trial history books as the first rider to compete in TrialGP on an electric machine.

Beginning the day as pre-event favourite in TrialGP Women, Abellan started race one well and after moving ahead of early leader Alycia Soyer (TRRS) from France the 26-year-old was never headed again – despite a five on section six that claimed maximums from every competitor apart from Italy’s Alessia Bacchetta (GASGAS) – to run out winner on a total of fourteen.

Heading into race two fully dialled in, Abellan showed her class with a total of nine giving her a comfortable seven-mark win from Pechackova as Rabino made her second visit to the podium on seventeen, two clear of Bacchetta who in turn was four ahead of Soyer.

Day Two – TrialGP

With the sun once again beating down on the Mobility Resort Motegi, conditions were ideal for the second consecutive day and Bou started the opening race strongly, although not as well as his fellow Spaniard Gabriel Marcelli (Montesa) who remained clean until section seven where he needed a two. This allowed Jaime Busto (Beta) to draw level as Bou and Italy’s Matteo Grattarola (Beta) shared third, just a single mark further adrift.

Section ten, featuring a series of imposing steps before the exit, proved to be pivotal for Busto who incurred a maximum as Bou parted with just an additional mark to tie Marcelli – who needed two dabs – for the lead on four and Grattarola slipped to third on a total of five.

A clean and a single mark in the final two sections were good enough for Bou to claim another win, but a maximum on the boulders of section eleven dropped Marcelli to fourth on a score of nine as Grattarola took second on seven which put him two behind Bou and one ahead of Busto.

Making it four Spaniards in the top five, Miquel Gelabert (Honda) recorded an impressive score of thirteen on the electric machine before a big gap to British riders Harry Hemingway (Beta) and Jack Peace (Sherco).

Bou then produced the best performance in the timed Super Pole section ahead of Marcelli and Hemingway before the Final got under way with Busto seizing the advantage to skip through the five sections for a score of just one – four ahead of Bou and Marcelli – as for the second time Hemingway and Peace were eliminated.

However, with the scores reset to zero for the deciding Super Final, Bou – as we have seen so many times before – soaked up the pressure to produce a true champion’s performance.

With Grattarola and Gelabert both taking maximums on section one that featured a huge double step at the start and an incredibly technical exit, Bou went clean along with Busto and Marcelli to share the early lead.

The next section stopped everyone before Busto dropped off the pace on section three with a maximum after getting off-line on the steep climb out over rocks where both Bou and Marcelli remained feet-up.

With two to go there was nothing to choose between the leading pair, but Bou’s clean on section four gave him the advantage after Marcelli needed two marks and the thirty-nine-year-old then put the result beyond question with a faultless performance on the final section. Marcelli’s total of eight, including a single time penalty, saw him safely in second with a three-mark gap to Busto with Grattarola fourth on twenty, five ahead of Gelabert.

Following on from her double win yesterday, reigning TrialGP Women champion Abellan started the day in untouchable form with a faultless performance putting her thirteen marks clear of Andrea Sofia Rabino (Beta) from Italy who took second on a tie-break from her compatriot Alessia Bacchetta (GASGAS).

Czech rider Denisa Pechackova (TRRS) recovered from a maximum on the first section of the day to take fourth on eighteen, two ahead of Britain’s Kaytlyn Adshead (Vertigo), but it was all-change in the concluding race when twenty-one-year-old Bacchetta – in just her third season in the premier class – produced the best form of her career to win on six.

The world’s best Trial riders now face a nervous four-week wait before round two – the TrialGP of Andorra – on 12-14 June when Trial3 competitors will join the action.

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Aussie Enduro Wrap from Rounds 5 & 6 at QLD Moto Park

See the full report and results here:
Ruprecht keeps perfect AusEnduro run alive at QMP

The 2026 Yamaha Australian Enduro Championship presented by MXstore reached the halfway point at Queensland Moto Park, where Rounds 5 and 6 delivered a demanding mix of hard-pack, dust, rocks, deepening ruts and rapidly deteriorating test conditions.

QMP gave the field a properly Australian bushland examination. Visibility became a factor as dust hung in the air, grip was not always easy to find, and the tracks became rougher with each passing test. A brief shower late on Saturday helped settle the dust momentarily, but the forecast rain never fully arrived on Sunday, leaving competitors to manage a second day on increasingly worn terrain rather than receive a full reset from the weather.

At the front, Wil Ruprecht continued his perfect start to the season with another Pro Enduro and E2 double, but the results alone do not tell the full story. Jye Dickson was closer to the Shop Yamaha Off-Road Racing rider than at earlier rounds, while Korey McMahon again made sure KTM DM31 Racing Team had a serious presence in the outright fight.

Yamaha had plenty to celebrate, with Ruprecht unbeaten in Pro Enduro and E2, Cooper Sheidow winning E1 on both days, Madi Simpson and Jessica Gardiner splitting the EW victories, and Marcus Nowland and Kai Austin sharing EJ honours. KTM’s weekend was led by Dickson and McMahon, who finished second and third outright on both days, while McMahon remained perfect in E3.

The next stop is Casterton in Victoria on June 20-21, where sandier conditions should provide a very different test for the championship contenders.

AusEnduro Pro Enduro

The Pro Enduro outright battle remains the headline act in the AEC, and QMP again showed why. Ruprecht still looks the rider to beat, but Dickson and McMahon were close enough across the weekend to keep genuine pressure on the Yamaha rider.

Saturday began with a clear statement from Dickson. Despite a small crash late in the opening lap, the KTM DM31 Racing Team rider still managed to take the first test win, immediately putting Ruprecht under pressure. McMahon was also right in the mix early, with the E2 and E3 riders setting the outright pace.

Through the middle of the day Ruprecht and Dickson traded blows, with very little between them. The decisive moment came in the fifth test, where Dickson lost valuable time after spending much of the day within striking distance. Ruprecht then had enough breathing room to control the run home and extend his unbeaten sequence.

Ruprecht’s Saturday winning margin was 21.702 seconds over Dickson after more than 73 minutes of timed competition, while McMahon completed the podium in third. Cooper Sheidow was the leading E1 rider in fourth outright, and Kogan Lock edged Deegan Graham by just 0.203 seconds for fifth overall.

Sunday followed a similar pattern, although Ruprecht started more sharply. He won the opening four tests and gave himself the margin to manage the back end of the day. Dickson again kept the pressure on and finally broke through for a test win late in the round, while McMahon grew stronger as the day progressed and topped the final test.

Ruprecht still had the job done by that stage, winning Round 6 by 19.674 seconds over Dickson. McMahon was third again, with Sheidow fourth outright and Lock fifth.

Ruprecht now leads the Pro Enduro standings on 125 points, with Dickson second on 106 and McMahon third on 104. The points picture still favours Ruprecht, but QMP suggested the two KTM riders are closing the performance gap on hard-pack terrain.

Ruprecht said the Queensland Moto Park conditions shared similarities with the previous round at Dungog, with hard-packed dirt, tricky traction and extra rock making the tests technical. He also noted that his rivals had clearly improved, saying he and the Yamaha team could not afford to lose focus despite the perfect start to the season.

Dickson was also encouraged by the weekend, particularly given hard-pack is not normally his strongest terrain. He said he was happy to be in the battle for the outright win all weekend and felt he was taking solid steps forward in those conditions.

AusEnduro Pro Enduro Standings

E1

With defending champion Jonte Rynders sidelined, E1 has become one of the most competitive classes in the championship. At QMP, however, Cooper Sheidow made the biggest statement with a clean sweep of the weekend.

Saturday began with Sheidow, Deegan Graham, Maximus Purvis and Jeremy Carpentier all locked into a tight battle. Only seconds separated the lead group after the opening test, and the early stages suggested E1 might again be decided by small margins.

Purvis was enjoying one of his strongest starts of the season, running inside the top three in class across the opening tests, but his weekend changed dramatically in test four. The Shop Yamaha Off-Road Racing rider crashed heavily after striking a rock and was left with rib and mid-section pain. He attempted to continue, but later withdrew from the day and sat out Sunday.

Sheidow took control from that point. He maintained a strong pace through the closing tests to claim Saturday’s E1 win by 1:01.303 over Graham, with Carpentier third. Fraser Higlett finished fourth, Stefan Granquist fifth, and Jackson Versteegen seventh on his return to competition for KTM DM31 Racing Team.

Sunday again belonged to Sheidow, although the fight behind him changed shape. Carpentier started strongly and established himself as the closest early challenger, while Graham had to recover from a heavy opening-test crash that cost him almost a minute.

Granquist and Higlett both pushed into the podium fight as the day developed, but Graham worked his way back to third. Sheidow went on to complete the double by 50.578 seconds over Carpentier, with Graham third, Granquist fourth and Higlett fifth.

Sheidow now leads the E1 standings on 117 points, ahead of Carpentier on 103 and Graham on 98. After several injury-interrupted seasons, Sheidow said finally getting on top of his wrist issues has allowed him to ride and race pain-free again, and that he is now enjoying his racing as much as he has for some time.

Cooper Sheidow

“The last couple of seasons, I have had some injuries, and it’s taken me a long time to get back to where I was. I have finally got on top of my wrist issues and can now ride and race pain free and it’s allowing me to get back to full speed. It’s nice to get some good results again on the weekend and I’m really enjoying racing at the moment. The first few rounds have been a lot of fun and I’m really looking forward to racing in some sandy conditions in the next few rounds.”

For KTM, Versteegen’s return was a useful step after missing the previous rounds through injury. He finished seventh on Saturday and eighth on Sunday, using QMP to rebuild race rhythm before the series moves to Victoria.

Jackson Versteegen

“The tracks were definitely challenging and tricky, but the team nailed it again with the bike – it was really good on both days. I’ve got a few things to work on before the next rounds, so we’ll get back to work and come out swinging at Casterton!”

Maximus Purvis

“After Dungog I was pretty disappointed and wanted to bounce back here at QMP. I was feeling pretty good and had some top three in class in the first couple of tests and not far away from the lead. I just needed a couple of seconds, and it would have put me at the top of E1 and inside the top five in Pro Enduro, but I got pretty loose in the fourth test and went down hard. I feel like I have some damage to my ribs and it just made it too difficult to ride. The movement on the bike and then taking big deep breathes was tough, so we elected to sit it out and I will go and get checked out to find out exactly what’s up. Thanks to the team for a big effort. The season hasn’t gone as we had hoped so far, but I will do what I can to be back for the next round and get some decent results in the back half of the year.”

AusEnduro E1 Standings

E2

The E2 class again doubled as the outright fight, with Ruprecht and Dickson taking their Pro Enduro battle directly into class competition. Ruprecht remains unbeaten, but Dickson made him work for both wins.

Saturday started with Dickson taking the opening test, before Ruprecht responded in test two. From there the pair continued to match each other across much of the day. Dickson’s pace was good enough to keep the Yamaha rider honest, but his lost time in test five ultimately proved decisive.

Ruprecht won Saturday’s E2 contest by 21.702 seconds over Dickson, with Kogan Lock third. Lock’s ride was also strong enough for fifth outright, underlining the strength of the E2 field at QMP.

Behind the podium, the class battle was tight. Oliver Paterno, Will McInnes and Scott Keegan finished fourth, fifth and sixth on Saturday, covered by only 7.415 seconds after a long day of racing.

Sunday again revolved around Ruprecht and Dickson. Ruprecht made the sharper start, won the first four tests and then managed the margin. Dickson continued to chip away and took a late test win, but Ruprecht’s early work was enough to secure another E2 victory.

The final Sunday margin was 19.674 seconds, with Lock again third. McInnes was fourth, while Brock Nichols produced one of his stronger rides late in the day to finish fifth. Nichols, Paterno, Jake Henderson and Keegan were all packed closely together, with fifth through eighth separated by just 14.199 seconds.

Ruprecht now leads the E2 standings on 125 points, ahead of Dickson on 110 and Lock on 100. The numbers confirm Ruprecht’s control of the class, but Dickson’s pace at QMP showed he is becoming a more persistent threat.

Wil Ruprecht

“The weekend went well and the conditions were good. There were a lot of similarities between the terrain here and QMP and what we raced at Dungog at the last round in that the dirt is quite hard packed and finding traction can be tricky at times. There is also more rock here at QMP which makes it more technical but overall, I enjoyed the weekend and the conditions. The team and the bike were working well and it’s good to keep the momentum rolling after starting the championship so well. I can see our rivals have been putting in a big effort and made some improvements, so we need to keep our foot on the gas and continue to work hard as we still have a long way to go and we can’t afford to lose focus.”

Jye Dickson

“Rounds 5 and 6 were good to me this weekend. We were in the battle for the outright win all weekend long, which was good. We were close, but just a little bit off here and there, but it was another solid weekend. We’re taking some solid steps forward in this hard-packed dirt, which I’m definitely not the most comfortable with.”

AusEnduro E2 Standings

E3

Korey McMahon continued to set the standard in E3, winning both days and finishing third outright in Pro Enduro on Saturday and Sunday. It was another strong weekend for the KTM 500 EXC-F rider, even if McMahon felt he left time on the table through mistakes.

Saturday was effectively McMahon’s from the opening test. While Ruprecht and Dickson fought over the outright lead, McMahon established control of E3 and then built a margin that none of his class rivals could threaten.

The main battle was behind him. Max Midwinter had to recover from an early mechanical issue during the sight lap, while Broc Grabham, Max Rikys and Jack Conlan were all part of the early podium fight. As the day unfolded, Midwinter and Grabham emerged as the strongest challengers.

McMahon’s Saturday winning margin was emphatic. He finished 5:10.138 ahead of Midwinter, with Grabham third.

Sunday produced the same winner, but a different order behind him. Grabham’s opening result was compromised by a timing issue, but he quickly returned to the sort of pace expected of him and recovered to second. Midwinter maintained consistent top-three speed to finish third, while Conlan showed flashes of pace just outside the podium places.

McMahon won Round 6 by 3:37.221 over Grabham, with Midwinter third. He now leads the E3 standings on 125 points, ahead of Midwinter on 106 and Grabham on 104.

McMahon admitted he made a few too many mistakes across the weekend, but said the speed was there and enjoyed the intensity of battling near the outright front with Ruprecht and Dickson. He is now looking forward to the sandier Casterton conditions.

Korey McMahon

“A few too many mistakes this weekend, which is a little frustrating, but our speed is there, and we battled at the front all weekend long. It’s really cool to be battling with Jye [Dickson] and Wil [Ruprecht], being within seconds of each other after tests that are over eight minutes long. It was a really good weekend for the team and I – they were amazing and the bike was awesome again. We’re happy to get out of here at QMP and into the sand at Casterton.”

AusEnduro E3 Standings

EJ

The EJ class remains one of the most open and interesting fights in the championship, and QMP added another layer to that contest. Marcus Nowland won Saturday, Kai Austin responded on Sunday, and Beau Tripcony left Queensland only two points off the series lead.

Saturday’s contest was lively from the first test. Nowland narrowly led Tripcony early, with Austin and Oscar Harris also in the frame. Tripcony answered in test two, while Mason Phillips also worked his way into the front group as Austin lost time after an issue.

The rough QMP conditions made consistency crucial. Nowland had to overcome mistakes and pressure, but he kept returning to the top of the timing sheets when it counted. Harris also built momentum and briefly tightened the fight with a test five win.

Nowland’s final two tests proved decisive. He won Saturday by 50.213 seconds over Tripcony, with Harris third, Austin fourth and Phillips fifth. Harris and Austin were split by only 1.684 seconds at the finish.

Sunday started with a strong statement from Austin, who opened a 10-second lead in the first test. Nowland, Harris and Callum Gutke were all in the early podium mix, before Tripcony became the major threat late in the day.

Tripcony won tests four, five and six to close rapidly on Austin, but Austin held his nerve to win by 7.267 seconds. Tripcony finished second, with Nowland third, Bjorn Cardenas fourth and Harris fifth.

Nowland now leads the EJ standings on 111 points, but Tripcony is only two points behind on 109. Austin remains well in the hunt on 103, while Phillips and Harris are separated by only a single point in the battle for fourth and fifth.

AusEnduro EJ Standings

EW

EW delivered one of the most dramatic storylines of the QMP weekend, with Madi Simpson ending Jessica Gardiner’s Saturday charge before Gardiner responded in commanding fashion on Sunday.

Gardiner looked on course to continue her strong season when she opened Saturday with a solid early advantage. Simpson settled into second, while Emi Ruprecht and Emelie Granquist began their own contest for the final podium place.

The race shifted through tests three and four, where mistakes from Gardiner allowed Simpson to capitalise. Simpson then produced a major gain in test six to keep the pressure high heading into the final test.

The final stage delivered the decisive twist. Simpson charged, Gardiner made another costly mistake, and Simpson secured her first win of the 2026 season by just 3.567 seconds. Emi Ruprecht finished third, only 4.962 seconds ahead of Granquist.

Gardiner’s Sunday response was emphatic. Starting behind Simpson on the road, she caught her by the end of the opening test and immediately took control. From there, Gardiner built a margin that Simpson could not claw back.

Gardiner won Round 6 by 1:52.541 over Simpson, with Madison Healey returning to the podium in third. Healey’s margin over Granquist was 25.455 seconds, while Emi Ruprecht completed the top five.

Gardiner continues to lead the EW standings on 122 points, with Simpson second on 113. Granquist holds third on 92, but Ruprecht and Healey remain close enough to keep that podium fight alive.

AusEnduro EW Standings

The 2026 Yamaha Australian Enduro Championship presented by MXstore now heads to Casterton in Victoria, with Rounds 7 and 8 scheduled for June 20-21. After QMP’s hard-pack, dust and rock, the shift toward sandier terrain could change the complexion of several class battles as the second half of the season begins.

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Budds Creek Half-Mile (Throttlefest) Wrap

See full results and report here:
Tom Drane’s AFT Singles lead survives tough Budds Creek outing

Tom Drane endured his quietest AFT Singles outing of the 2026 season at the inaugural Budds Creek Half-Mile, but the Australian still left Maryland with control of the championship.

The reigning KICKER AFT Singles champion could do no better than fifth at ThrottleFest as Kage Tadman converted pole position into victory, Tarren Santero stormed back from a crash to finish second, and Chase Saathoff completed the podium.

Despite that result being Drane’s worst of the season so far, his earlier consistency means he still leads Tadman by 16 points, 111-95, with Saathoff and Trevor Brunner also close enough to keep the title fight lively heading toward Williams Grove.

In Mission AFT SuperTwins, Briar Bauman continued his surge with another commanding victory, trimming Kody Kopp’s championship advantage and dragging Dallas Daniels into a three-rider scrap at the top of the premier-class standings.

KICKER AFT Singles

It took three starts to make it happen, but Kage Tadman ultimately ripped into the lead from pole position and powered his way to his fourth-career KICKER AFT Singles victory.

The two prior starts were quickly nullified by early-race red flags – both times removing Chase Saathoff from the lead and erasing less-than-ideal launches for the otherwise on-form Tadman.

The second of those reds was thrown following a lowside crash on the part of Tarren Santero, a fall that sparked a chain reaction that also claimed Evan Kelleher and Logan Eisenhard.

Tadman finally nailed the third start and was further blessed with the added good fortune of teammate Walker Porter slotting into second behind him.

Saathoff, meanwhile, was fourth off the line, stashed behind both Turner Hondas and the cagey Trevor Brunner.

The race’s drama largely unfolded behind Tadman, who pulled clear at the front.

Saathoff fought his way by Brunner into third and then moved Porter out of the way to seize control of second with just over a minute remaining on the clock. He was then, however – and incredibly – overhauled by Santero, who somehow managed to slash his way up through the field after being forced to the back of the grid due to his earlier crash.

In fact, Santero nearly did the unthinkable, reeling in Tadman from multiple seconds back before at last crossing the stripe only 0.377-seconds off the victory.

A visibly frustrated Saathoff finished third, while Porter regrouped from being punted up the track to claim his second consecutive fourth-place finish.

The triumph marked Tadman’s first to come outside his home state and away from a Short Track venue.

Kage Tadman

“We came out of the trailer perfect. We haven’t really made many changes to the bike today, and we’ve been P1 all day. I can’t thank the team enough – the bike was perfect. The track was so sick too. This definitely feels good. I’m excited.”

Reigning champion Tom Drane (No. 1 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) was unusually quiet en route to fifth.

He was followed by Jack Brucks, Ryder Reese, Brunner, Dylan Cunningham, and Jared Lowe, as they rounded out the back half of the top ten in that order.

Despite registering his worst result of the season, Drane still holds a sizable 16-point advantage over Tadman (111-95), with Saathoff and Brunner right there in third (94) and fourth (92), respectively.

KICKER AFT Singles  – Budds Creek Half-Mile Results

KICKER AFT Singles Standings

Mission AFT SuperTwins

The Main Event of the four-day event hosted by Budds Creek Motocross Park in Mechanicsville, Maryland, was expected to be a showdown involving Bauman, reigning Grand National Champion Dallas Daniels, and Mission AFT SuperTwins points leader Kody Kopp.

And arguably it was, in a sense, albeit one effectively decided in the opening seconds of the race.

Bauman and Daniels went elbow-to-elbow as they disputed the holeshot. Bauman ultimately had the superior positioning aboard his Rick Ware Racing Harley-Davidson XG750R, which not only forced Daniels to accept second but resulted in him getting shuffled back to third by an opportunistic Chad Cose.

The Estenson Racing Yamaha ace would spend the next six minutes attempting to uncover a path back around Cose. And by the time he finally managed to do so, Bauman was more than three seconds clear at the front.

Bauman negotiated his way through heavy traffic over the final couple of laps, allowing Daniels to slash the deficit down to 2.208 seconds, but the outcome was never truly put in doubt.

After Daniels worked his way past and disappeared in second, Cose shifted his attention to Kopp, who was creeping up from fourth. Despite Kopp’s late push, the Californian held on to the spot by a nerve-wracking 0.210 seconds, securing Cose’s first premier-class podium in eight seasons.

Hunter Bauer and Aidan RoosEvans joined Kopp to put rookies fourth, fifth, and sixth. Meanwhile, Trent Lowe, Morgen Mischler, Cameron Smith, and Declan Bender closed out the top ten.

Bauman’s surge has shifted the Grand National Championship outlook, closing the margin separating the top three dramatically in recent weeks.

While Kopp continues to lead with 117 points, Daniels (110) and Bauman (108) are now both well within striking distance in second and third.

Briar Bauman

“There’s something about doing it with a crew you thoroughly enjoy doing it with… We just work at it. We weren’t the quickest all day. We were a bit off. But they turned that thing upside down. I’ll be upfront – we didn’t change a clicker on the motorcycle the last two Nationals except for gearing. And today we threw the toolbox at that thing, and we found it. I’m just proud of my whole Rick Ware Racing team.”

Mission AFT SuperTwins – Budds Creek Half-Mile Top-10

Mission AFT SuperTwins Standings